


For Want of Nail

by Mei_kun



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AU, Aliens, Beginning of an Epic, Bokuto Koutarou/Tsukishima Kei (implied-onesided), Bunny!Tsukki, Chaos Language, Cross-cultural, Dark Themes (background), Drama, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Gen, Humans, Kuroo's POV, Light Themes (background), M/M, Minor Original Character(s), OOC, Older!Tsukki, Omega Character, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Slavery, Spaceships, Titanic (James Cameron) Adaptation, Undercover Characters, Unreliable Narrator, Younger!Kuroo, prince!kuroo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 04:15:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12380712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mei_kun/pseuds/Mei_kun
Summary: Tetsurou was the youngest son of Terra’s King. The ninth in line to the throne. He was the spare of the spares. He was loose change that could be, will be used to hold a treaty with a paper ally empire from another galaxy.When Tetsurou boarded The Titanic, he wished for a catastrophe to strike him dead.The catastrophe came in the form of an alluring leporine man.--“Okay. You can draw me wearing this.”Tadashi flicked his eyes to him, gaze unwavering, the color of whisky against fire, scorching and intoxicating. Pert lips curved sweetly; the devil’s sinful smile, teasing, tempting—Tetsurou swallowed.“Wearing only this.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Terra** – a planet from a galaxy in the central region, the first home of one of the first class species in the universe, humans.
> 
>  **Al-mi’raj** – a nomadic bipedal race that originated from a collapsed galaxy thirty years ago in the northern region. Humanoid type of species characterized by leporine features, including long ears and supple limbs, and far superior sense of smell and hearing. At present, they are considered as an inferior race. (Disclaimer: they’re basically Squenix’s Vieras. Original species concept isn’t mine).

**_i._ **

 

Tetsurou approached the heavily ornate, antiquated door to the throne room. A royal guard stood on each side, faces hidden behind helmets that matched their dark baroque-like uniforms. Tetsurou stopped about five paces before the door, placing himself in perfect point blank range of the guards’ plasma rifles now aimed at him. He stayed still as a thin strip of green light raked over him from head down, authenticating his identity.

A protocol to all who wished to enter and have audience with the King. 

Paranoia had always been common fare in the palace.

The door spilt open with a hiss.

The guards bowed curtly with acute sharpness and once again held their riffles diagonally across their torsos.

Tetsurou proceeded with heavy steps and crossed over the threshold. It felt like stepping into the mouth of a beast. The soft hiss and the sound of a seamless fit as the door sealed itself shut made it more apparent. He clenched his jaw and started to walk forward, deeper, under the stark bright lights. He counted the gilded pillars of the golden stone hall as he passed them, the blood red banners of the royal family and the royal blue banners of Terra hang in alternate on each massive pole; a fierce three headed lion for the red's sigil and the hallow sphere for the blue. The lion's grim eyes seemed to follow him in his procession.

He dropped onto one knee upon reaching the steps of the throne, bowing his head so low his chin almost touched his chest. “Your Majesty.”

The sound of a scroll being unfurled grated into his ears before the sharp nasal voice of the King’s Secretary filled the cold stone hall with His Majesty’s edict.

“Your King commands his royal highness, Prince Tetsurou, ninth prince of Terra, to travel to Ixia to wed her imperial highness, Princess Brirraht Ixia Olmesh, third princess of Ixia, in accordance to the armistice agreement between the great kingdom of Terra and empire of Ixia founded 3rd of February, year MM12, the Armistice of Halcyon. Hear and obey the command of your King.”

There was a lull of silence. 

The King spoke.

Tetsurou’s mouth dried. His chest felt constricted, caving inward, as if it was collapsing. He didn’t dare lift his head up to the King. His father.

“I hear and obey.”

 

\--

 

The days passed by normally. It didn’t went by fast, nor did it went slow. There was no special buzz of activity in the palace. When he snuck out to the city, people milled to and fro the winter clothed streets, going about their lives, all busy minding their own business. The seedy pub he frequents had greeted him with familiar faces when he went in earlier that evening and, as per usual, the sound of drunk men roaring in laughter and jeers to spurn a brawl could be heard beneath the rickety, chipped floorboards of his cheap rented room on  the second floor.

“You’re distracted.”

Tetsurou glanced up from his unfinished sketch. Yukie had titled her head and deviated from her original pose, her scarlet locks spilling over her bare peachy pink shoulder. The proper way to respond was to deflect the probing. “Probably because I am,” he admitted instead.

Yukie sat up from the bed, retying her silk robe, wrapping it around her naked self more securely so that she could pass the minimum requirement for decency. “What happened?”

“Getting married.”

“ _Married? You?_ Before that impotent cunt?”

Tetsurou barked a laugh. Yukie was probably the only person who called the crown prince an ‘ _impotent cunt’_. The older woman was also the only person in the whole city who knew he was the ninth prince.

Not that that detail had ever held any real worth.

“To who? From where?” she asked as much as she demanded.

Tetsurou closed down his sketch book, laying it flat on the table beside him. He crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair. “Right question would be _to where_.”

Yukie’s pretty face scrunched up in a wince, a flash of pity fleeting in her reddish brown eyes. “Right. So. Where?”

“Ixia.”

“ _Ixia?_ ”

“Third princess. Princess Brine Rat-something-something,” he answered frivolous. _He was frivolous._ “I’m leaving first of January in _The_ Titanic.”

“…The one who made that thing is a douche," Yukie replied after a long pause. "Who the fuck officially names shit with a _The_?”

“A fucking douche,” Tetsurou answered with a crooked grin.

“Bet he has a small cock.”

“Preaching for overcompensation? That’s classic stereotyping. _Archaic even._ Shame on you, madam.”

“ _Pft._ Don’t all men do with all their big shiny toys?”

“Does my new 14-inch paint brush count?”

“Yes,” she answered, her rose colored lips spreading into a plotting smile. She titled her head in playful challenge. “Unless you want to prove me wrong, boyo.”

Tetsurou held his hand up. “You know I have a strict policy. No frisky business with models and friends.”

“Frisky business,” Yukie echoed in amusement. “You’re so precious. Kei will definitely have a good laugh over you.”

“Kei?” In the years he’d known Yukie, he couldn't remember her mentioning that name. “Who’s Kei?”

“Someone who will make you choke in your precious ‘ _strict policy._ ’”

“Oh? Could she be more charming? Replace you as my favorite muse, my Red Goddess?” Tetsurou asked theatrically.

“He’s a he.”

“A he." Not even a consideration. “The virtue of my policy is secured.”

Yukie answered with a laugh that made her tip her body back and made Tetsurou completely feel the entirety of the six-year seniority she had over him. When she finished and her naturally heavily lidded eyes were on him again and there was only a smidgeon of her critter like smile stretching her lips, Tetsurou knew their easy, pointless banter had run its course. “Hug,” Yukie only said.

Tetsurou opened up his arms. “Hug.”

 

\--

 

Tetsurou stayed in the pub well into the night. He finished the final sketch he could draw Yukie in and shared a bottle of cheap beer with her. At one point, the subject of using ‘ _The_ ’ to officially name things was brought up again because the pub was, after all, aptly named ‘ _The Third Class._ ’

“I’m telling Ittetsu you called him a fucking douche.”

“I’m telling him you said he has a puny dick.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Details.”

When it was time to leave, Yukie accompanied him. The pub was still roaring livelily when they stepped down. Same old patrons causing the ruckus, jeering and drinking themselves silly. Same old, same old. There was an unfamiliar overzealous man pestering the bartender, chirping ‘ _Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan_ ’ to the obvious annoyance of the latter, but the pub does get new faces then and again so it was still a norm. Tetsurou lingered at the step of the stairs, drinking in everything that was before him. Sight, sound, smell. He won’t be coming back.

Yukie encircled her arms around his neck, soundly embracing him from behind from a step above. “You’ll be fine, boyo,” she said softly as a whisper. His stomach clenched.

“Yeah, I will,” he answered.

He took his time walking back to the palace. When he arrived at the plaza before the east gate there was a page and a group of royal guards waiting for him. The page only greeted him a fine evening and escorted him back to his apartments, the entourage of guards followed closely, caging him from behind. The message quite clear.

Tonight had been his last night of freedom.

Tetsurou let himself fall on his bed, and stared at the dark shadows in the ceiling of his room until the morning light vanquished them.

 

\--

 

All his possessions could fit in one suitcase.

All that mattered anyway.

Tetsurou rove his eyes inside his suitcase, hands pressed against the rim of its upper mouth. Brushes, acrylic, charcoal, sketch pad… his eyes stopped on the velvet covered rectangular case that housed his mother’s necklace. He shut the suitcase close. He forgot about his canvas and extra paint. So, he digressed, two suitcases it was.

He weaved around his room to his art supply closet and the missing items were still there. The door opened to his room, grabbing Tetsurou's attention towards it to find Keishin. His older brother’s sharp gaze landed on him, his brown eyes looking wild as his hair that would have been as black as Tetsurou’s if it hadn’t been all dyed up in bright corn blond.

Keishin was bracing both his hands on Tetsurou’s shoulders before Tetsurou could even give a witty greeting or two. “I won’t let you rot in that place,” Keishin said, staring up to him straight in the eye.

Tetsurou snorted. “Not even a Happy Christmas, big bro?”

Keishin squeezed his shoulders harder.

“You make it look like I’m getting marooned in a dump,” Tetsurou said, playfully sliding the older’s hands off him, “I’m marrying a princess hence into royalty.” He  broadened  his grin, his own face protesting to the strain of the gesture, “Won’t be much different from here.”

Keishin's mouth thinned, the expression on his rugged face dark and grim. “You don’t need to put up a front with me,” he said after a beat.

“I’m not. I’m geniuinely the cheerfullest thing you’ll ever see. Most good looking, too," Tetsurou replied with a gaspy careless laugh, turning his back to Keishin so he could continue packing. “So how’s the fleet? How’s space, oh great Third Prince? Should I expect meteor storms while I sail across the vast black yonder?”

“I’ll come and get you back. That’s a promise.”

Tetsurou’s finger’s hovered above the stack of rolled canvas cloth. “You. You should really ask His Majesty for a wife.” He grabbed all the canvas and carried it to his bed. “Get kids of your own. I’m seventeen... well seventeen in a couple of—okay, a lot of months. Still, I’m already too old to be your surrogate kid. …Always had been. Thinking about it. Now that I’ve said that.”

“ _Tetsurou_.”

The hard tone made him flinch and he was five again. He looked at his brother.

“I’ll get you back.”

The creaky grin fell from Tetsurou’s face.

“I’ll get you back.”

Tetsurou nodded.

The day of Tetsurou’s departure arrived, he rode the space elevator up to the station alone. Keishin had been ordered to return to his post commandeering His Majesty’s first fleet days before.

 

\--

 

Tetsurou was afforded his own entrance to The Titanic. The luxury starliner’s Captain was there to greet him when he stepped out from the bridge and into the inside of the ship. The hallway was carpeted, the light a soft yellow, there were fresh flowers on side tables and paintings hanging on wooden paneled wall, depicting a perfect Victorian setting. The illusion of antiquity was broken by the prevalent heady, crisp smell of fresh paint.

Everything was brand new. 

“We’ll make sure your travel to Ixia will be most comfortable, your highness.”

Tetsurou turned his head to the graying captain.

It will take eleven months and the same number of wormhole warps to arrive at Ixia.

“Don’t spoil me now,” Tetsurou answered good naturedly.

The captain gave a merry laugh.

‘ _Die in Ixia._ ’

Tetsurou wished with all his might for that meteor storm.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this happens when Titanic (James Cameron) had a 3-P with Guardians of the Galaxy and Squenix in one of my seedy motels.
> 
> Anyway, I know, another multi, sorry, but this will be short because it will only cover the length of the movie. Although, yesh, you might have noticed the ‘Beginning of an Epic’ tag. That’s there because well, this will be fashioned as the beginning of a sprawling space adventure …or something. However, for now, I just want this idea with space Titanic to shut the eff up. 
> 
> …I’m in love with Yukie. And Peter Hollens and Gary Barlow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _*Story Tags updated_  
>     
> \--
> 
>  **Language -** the universal and most prevalent language of the universe is Terran (aka Nihongo. This is for my own sanity, I need an excuse to justify why the name of most of the characters, canon or otherwise, are Japanese. Names follow the western pattern arrangement: (Given Name) (Family Name)) 
> 
> **Society -** Employing non-robotic servants is a privilege and serves as a status symbol. Royalty/Nobles/Elites have non-robotic servants. There is a distinct stigma against people with cybernetic enhancements or prosthesis/parts; they are deemed as third class citizens. Slaves are not citizens and are placed in the same level as automatons/robots (widely known as servbots); earning one's freedom is possible if their master allows it.
> 
>  **Artificial Intelligence -** application to automatons is strictly regulated; automatons used in everyday maintenance/service industry do not have an AI.

**_ii_ **

 

Yukie was wrong.

Or, at least, maybe only half right.

The tycoon responsible for funding the starliner wasn’t being a douche when he named it. The Titanic had earned every bit of distinction the ‘ _The_ ’ in its name afforded. Fifteen floors, a kilometer in length from thrusters to bow, easily housing twelve thousand guests, five hundred-odd crew hand, three hundred plus maids and stewards and over five thousand servbots; The Titanic was massive.

Tetsurou turned the monitor off, the floating screen displaying the general specs of the starliner dissolving into particles of light that sank into the hidden hologram feed under his carved wooden study table, reverting his room back into a perfect imitation of an ancient Victorian suit. 

The Titanic was almost through with the first month of its maiden voyage but Tetsurou hadn’t made effort exploring the ship beyond the first class floors. Even with that, he only barely acquainted himself with the lavish facilities. Most of the time spent outside his suit was to attend banquets in Rose Hall, dining with the elites of the societies that didn’t tire giving him invitations for every meal and snack that occurred in a day.

Tonight he will be attending another fussy dinner with them, favoring the invitation of a pair of new passengers that boarded the ship from its last pit stop, Galba―a desert planet that had one of Terra's largest refineries of Titan Powder―before it reached its first wormhole.

It was a nice surprise then that the Inarizaki twins weren’t from the same cut as the prissy nobles and tycoons Tetsurou had endured all by himself for the past three weeks; the siblings having made their fortune from buying and selling goods, marking them as curiosities as much as pariahs among the old rich.

“It was really just a goddamn lucky hand in poker,” the older twin, Ikuo, said his grin too foxy for a Terran. His dark, heavily hooded eyes slid to his identical twin. “And, ‘course, Tatsuya’s handsome mug.”

“Of course,” Tetsurou said, matching Ikuo's mirth.

The younger silver haired twin had the same range of facial expression of that of a brick wall. Point in fact, he didn’t so much as twitched over his twin’s antics, only continued cutting and eating his rather bloody steak. The older teen tore a piece of his bread and mopped up the reddish juice on his plate.

“Aren’t those too rare?” one of the nobles they were dining with asked, the elder’s ratty face scrunching up in disdain at the twins' food.

“Only a hair above the passable temperature,” Ikuo replied. “We’re hardier than you fine folks here, Mr Baron Ito.”

“ _Lord Ito would suffice,_ " the baron all but sneered. "Anyway, I doubt that's true. We are all Terrans here in this table.”

“Not from the same quadrant,” Tatsuya said, unperturbed, continuing with his meal.

"New money _and_ mixed. My, you young gentlemen surely don't fit our typical mold, right highness?" the graying marquess, Lady Ishida, from across the table patronized.

"Thanks for the compliment, Ma'am," Ikuo said before Tetsurou could answer, easy grin never leaving his face. "We're glad you think we're a cut above the rest."

The old croon’s expression hardened. “ _Hm,_ ” she only intoned.

The rest of the meal continued with only the occasional jab therein after, the Inarizaki twins parrying it with effortless cheek and lazy nonchalance that no doubt irritated most of their dining companions. Tetsurou on his part only sat back and allowed himself to appreciate the twin’s antics. It was almost like he was with The Third Class's patrons.

It was a nice familiarity to have.

Dinner concluded when the baron invited all the gentlemen present to the brandy room. The twins declined and Tetsurou excused himself as well, the three of them walking together to the grand staircase. “We’re terrorizing the lower floors after the warp,” Ikuo casually said behind him.

Tetsurou turned to the shorter teen, pausing between two marble steps. Ikuo sported a lopsided grin that didn’t pressure him to take the indirect invitation, when Tetsurou shifted his gaze to the other twin, Tatsuya’s face was still painted with indifference but somehow it almost looked friendly. “Mind if I tag along?” Tetsurou found himself asking.

“We have room for a sidekick,” Tatsuya replied.

“Nice. I have my crime weapon ready. I kept that crowbar the clown beat me with,” Tetsurou said.

Ikuo’s answering laugh complemented the slightest hint of humor that now lifted Tatsuya’s mouth. "This is the start of a wonderful, long friendship, princess," Ikuo said.

Tetsurou didn't refute the declaration and only grinned along.

 

\--

 

The elevator stopped at the sixth floor. The uniformed operator pulled the brass accordion gate aside. Tetsurou stepped out into the starkly lit hallway, murmuring a ' _Thanks_ ' to the man and earned himself a startled jolt in return. Tetsurou had covered his head with a breton cap and he was dressed like a common but he wouldn't be mistaken as one; not by the operator, at least. He came from the first class floors and even if he didn't, he was riding one of the elevators exclusively for their use.

The disguise lost its little use as he blended into the thin crowd. Tetsurou was an obscure figure in the public back home and weeks of hanging out in the starliner's middle class floors proved to be the same. It was only for the benefit of the hospitality workers present in first class floors. He didn't want to have an escort shoved at  him on the high chance they recognize him.

Tetsurou made his way to the park unhindered, passing by the occasional servbot mopping the gray commercial ceramic tiles that replaced the carpeted wood paneled flooring used in the top floors.

The white light softened as he neared the park, the light dimming and acquiring an orange tint to it, mimicking the hue of sunset. As expected he didn't see the twins when he arrived at the balcony entrance; Tetsurou having intentionally arriving way earlier than the agreed upon time.

He went down the balcony and properly entered the park's premises. He found an empty bench near the artificial pond fountain and made himself comfortable. There was a happy father-daughter pair by the pond, feeding ducks. Tetsurou was already gliding the charcoal pencil against the paper, sketching the pair's outline on a blank page before he could even decide that they'll be his subjects. Details were added to fill their form and shadows were shaded into them to make the drawing come to life, Tetsurou's hand reproducing what his eyes see, the activity already second nature.

"You a pro, kid?"

Tetsurou's shoulders jolt at the sudden intrusion, the question jerking him out of his trance.  

"Sorry. My bad, didn't mean to surprise. You draw real good so I wondered."

Tetsurou closed his sketchbook, facing the stranger that disturbed him; a squinty eyed, blond Terran. "Nah, I'm good. And thanks," he answered. "But it's just a hobby."

"So say you. They're good enough for a price tag, I think," the man said, before offering a hand. "Naruto. Naruto Yamiji," he introduced, his pointy face acquiring a too straight look at the end. "Just putting it out there, I'm not a fan of that show."

"I wasn't going to say anything, but you might want to consider having your hair dyed, sir," Tetsurou said, grinning. He took the man's weather beaten hand and gave it a firm shake. "Tetsurou."

"Just like our resident prince in the vips?"

Tetsurou's eyes widened, his grip slackening.

_Shit. Idiot._

Mr Naruto took his hand back nonchalantly and then shoved it in his trousers. "Steward," he said and Tetsurou knew he had already guessed who he was. "Playing hooky, kid?" the man followed up, his demeanor staying the same.

Tetsurou blinked at the man but managed to gather his wits. "Something like that," he answered. That was unexpected. Appreciated, but still unexpected. "Thanks. I owe you one," he added.

"I'm off the clock. Didn't see nothing, didn't hear nothing," Mr Naruto said with a lazy shrug.

"Are you sure you're not a 'Kakashi'?" Tetsurou joked.

The man gave him a withering look.

Tetsurou wasn't able to help the laugh that escaped him. The man seemed liked he'd been the butt of one too many jokes thanks to the widely known drama character he shared his name and hair color with. "So..."

The rest of the remark never made it pass Testurou's mouth.

His gaze had wandered up to the balcony and was immediately rendered into a stupor that allowed him to watch a fair, willowy man walk languidly into perfect view. The outline of the stranger's figure was all fluid and seamless lines that complemented his tall stature flatteringly, his superior height made more apparent by the pair of long, straight leporine ears atop his head. The man stopped at the railings, forearms coming to rest on the stone surface, profile gracefully poised in the silk and sheer that clothed him...

_Effortless._

It was the only word that surfaced in Tetsurou's mind for the stranger. 

"First time seeing an Al-mi'raj?"

Tetsurou remembered he was with company and yanked his attention away from the stranger. "In person, yeah," he answered Mr Naruto.

He glanced back up to the stranger. The Al-mi'raj seemed to have caught him staring. He inclined his head towards Tetsurou's direction as if in question, causing his long dark locks to cascade down his shoulder, the simple gesture graceful and charming.

"You're making goo-goo eyes, payload."

"I," Tetsurou turned his head back to Mr Naruto. He cleared his throat. "I don't swing that way," he informed.

"He's an Al-mi'raj," the elder said as if that totally vetoed Tetsurou's preference.

Tetsurou brows scrunched down.

In a way it did.

Well, for most.

Looking back, Tetsurou remembered noting that the Al-mi'raj were very fine faced folks when he read about them. But the noteworthiness of the thought was eclipsed by how the comely species turned into a nomadic, minority race that had been designated as nothing more than a third class species.

"He's only a floor below yours, you know," Mr Naruto commented. "Up there."

Tetsurou stared at the man.

"Pet," was the answer he got for his unasked question.

His mouth seamed into a tight line and he found himself immediately sober up.

"Owner's a real piece of work, too. Scum if you ask me," Mr Naruto continued, voice dipping low at the end.

Tetsurou looked at the fair stranger anew. He seemed like he was treated well from Tetsurou's standpoint. But pet was a term for slaves with connotations and with what Mr Naruto said...

"Who?" Tetsurou asked looking back at the blond.

Mr Naruto raised a brow. "Gonzo Tarukane. New passenger, part of the bunch we last picked up." The man lifted his head up to look at the balcony. His mouth slowly hooked in disgust. "Speak of the devil and doth shall come," he muttered.

Tetsurou saw an aged, portly businessman come up from behind the Al-mi'raj, pulling the latter away from the railings by the waist to nuzzle his neck. Tetsurou's insides curled. The Al-mi'raj remained still while his Terran owner proceeded to paw him, indecent hands fondling him lower beyond his bare navel. 

The need to do something rose up and burned in Tetsurou's chest.

The Al-mi'raj's revolting master steered the former around and led him away. Tetsurou kept his eyes on the balcony even when they were no longer in view. The bad taste of _wrong_ settled heavily on his tongue.

"If you wanna play hero, first have a plan that will work," Mr Naruto said, cutting into Tetsurou's thoughts. "If you don't, you're just gonna brew trouble for him."

Tetsurou understood the advice. "Heroes can save people even without a plan," he said despite all considerations.

"Only in bedtime stories. Are you in a bedtime story?"

"No."

"Then start planning, kid."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't read any of Ms Snyder's works. The name 'Ixia' was pure coincidence, I got it from a planet generator I googled.
> 
> Also, just to clear things up, I didn't make a typo in the summary and since there's no major character death tag nobody has to worry about that.
> 
> Kudos if you recognized the reference and names~!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
